Sources for Atomic Energy Insights Oct/Nov 1996 (PM-3A) Foster, M. E.,Jones, G. M., History of the PM-3A Nuclear Power Plant McMurdo Station, Antarctica, Naval Energy and Environmental Support Activity, Port Hueneme, CA Final Operating Report for PM-3A Nuclear Power Plant, McMurdo Station, Antarctica, Prepared by U. S. Naval Nuclear Power Unit, P. O. Box 96 […]
Valuable Tool for Antarctic Research or Costly Waste?
Before the discovery of nuclear fission, the only power source capable of supplying reliable electrical energy in remote locations was a combustion engine. Because of its compact nature compared to a coal fired steam engine, the internal combustion engine was the power system of choice. When engineers realized that a fission power plant could operate […]
A Question of Economics: The Answer Depends on the Assumptions
In 1970, President Nixon affirmed that the United States had long term objectives in the Antarctic regions and consolidated responsibility for management and funding of all Antarctic operations under the National Science Foundation. According to the new arrangement, the NSF was to take over the funding of PM-3A as of July 1, 1972. At the […]
How Clean is Clean? Blasting Out Frozen Soil
The final disposition of the soil was to spread it out on the ground and cover it with asphalt, turning the expensively gathered Anarctic soil into a parking lot that continues to serve the sailors at Port Hueneme, California. After the decision was made to decommission the PM-3A, the Naval Nuclear Power Unit began planning […]
Letter from the Editor: PM-3A, Pioneer in Anarctic Research
Recently I took my family to the Tampa, Florida Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI), which had a traveling exhibit on Antarctica. The display included a great deal of information about the dedicated explorers and unique wildlife indigenous to that remote land with one of the harshest climates on earth. Several of the exploration groups […]
PM-3A Design and Construction: Rapid Pace to Fulfill a Need
The U. S. Navy began intensive involvement in Antarctic research missions during 1955 in preparation for the International Geophysical Year. The Department of Defense assigned the Navy the responsibility of maintaining and supplying the logistical needs of permanent research stations located in Antarctica. The assignment was based on the fact that the Navy had the […]
Letter from the Editor: RTGs, Batteries That Last and Last
This issue was inspired by a request from one of our Internet readers for more information about nuclear batteries. It seems that a short article in the April, 1995 issue of AEI was one of the few hits returned on a key word search for the phrase radioisotope thermal generator. He was interested in learning […]
Nuclear Batteries: Tools for Space Science
The Apollo missions to the moon are famous for heroic astronauts, exciting first steps and incredible pictures that fired the imaginations of a whole generation of scientists, engineers and school children. Mixed in along with the hoopla about sending men into space on huge, fire spewing rockets, however, was some serious science. Each time the […]
In the News: September 1996
Russian Nukes Short of Cash (Aug 25, 1996) – Like many parts of the Russian economy, the nuclear power industry is burdened with major customers that often do not pay their bills. According to a Reuter’s news story Rosenergoatom (the nuclear plant operating company) is close to making a decision to shut down some of […]
Earth Bound RTG Systems: Uses Closer to Home
Not all of the RTGs that have been produced have been designed for use in space. Here on earth, there are some applications where even extremely expensive RTGs have been able to successfully compete with other power supply alternatives. Here are the criteria that seem to be necessary to make RTGs a potential choice under […]
RTG Heat Sources: Two Proven Materials
Essentially all RTGs that have been produced have been designed for long term unattended operation. An isotope needs several rather specialized attributes to be useful in such an RTG: The two isotopes that have been most frequently used are Pu-238 and Sr-90. Each has their advantages and disadvantages that make them preferable for certain types […]
Sources for Atomic Energy Insights September 1996 (RTGs)
Bennett, G. L. et al “Status Report on Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators using Silicon Germanium Thermoelectric Elements”, paper presented at the 29th Intersociety Energy Conversion Engineering Conference, Monterey CA, 1994. AIAA-94-4127-CP Kelly, E C. and Klee, P. “Cassini RTGs – Small Scale Module Tests”, paper presented at the 29th Intersociety Energy Conversion Engineering Conference, Monterey CA, […]
